Expert Advice from Amy & Kyle Bergquist at Keller Williams Legacy Partners
Mortgage rates have ticked upward over the past few days in response to market activity around the 10-year Treasury Bond. According to BankRate.com, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage has increased from 5.00% to 5.39% in just a few days. An article in today’s Wall Street Journal goes so far as to proclaim that “Mortgage Rates Surge, Sap Hopes.” They cite similar interest rate figures from a different source and quote two
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 changed the tax rules around the sale of primary residences in a way that has not been widely discussed. Homeowners may no longer be able to claim a full $250,000 (or $500,000 for married filing jointly) capital gains exclusion for a primary residence despite living there for 2 of the past 5 years. The new rules, which went into effect at the beginning of 2009, still use
Today I saw the best yard ever. Large, level, fenced and sunny, it had everything I look for in a yard. There were flower gardens and vegetable gardens. The patio had covered and open areas – both large enough for a table and chairs. And of course there was an area for the grill. I want that yard. This sort of thing has happened to me before. One of the interesting aspects of working in
Earlier this week my aunt told me about a new type of family living in downtown Hartford – a family of peregrine falcons nesting on the Travelers Tower. (Thanks, Billie!) Check out the Peregrine Watch at Travelers Tower website for more information about our feathered neighbors. The current pair has been nesting on the tower since 1997, becoming established residents. There are two “FalCams” pointed at the nest and a lot of interesting history and
I could hear the bus braking from down the street, with its distinctive whoosh. It was approaching the stop sign, just across the intersection from the bus stop, and I was still over half a block away. Adrenaline surged in preparation for a mad dash to the corner – or at least close enough to the corner to be able to catch the driver’s eye. It was an instinctive reaction, but no longer necessary. I